Quinter rolls into title game
By RANDY GONZALES
The scary thing for future opponents is that the Quinter prep boys' basketball team rolled out its starting lineup for the first time this season.
Coach John Crist's team ovecame injuries to roll through the regular season undefeated. Crist started his Twin Towers lineup of 6-foot-7 senior Scott Ochs and 6-4 senior Zach Nemechek in Thursday's semifinals of the Class 1A Hays sub-state. Both Ochs and Nemechek missed games with injuries this season.
"That's the first time we put our starting five on the floor," Crist said. "Zach's only been back the last three games now.
"We're adjusting. Tonight, the big kids did well. Those two work really well together," Crist added.
Ochs and Nemechek combined for 21 points and 13 rebounds and senior guard Matt Bird scored a game-high 26 points as top-ranked Quinter rolled past Ness City, 72-37.
Quinter (24-0), will face Victoria (14-10) in Saturday's 7:30 p.m. title game at Felten gym. The winner of that game will advance to next week's 1A state tournament in Gross Memorial Coliseum.
While Ochs and Nemechek controlled the paint and Bird scored at will on the perimeter, hitting four 3-pointers, it was Quinter's full-court press which got the Bulldogs rolling.
Quinter forced seven turnovers in the first quarter and Bird hit a pair of treys to lift the Bulldogs to a 17-8 lead. Ness City had 27 turnovers for the game.
"We did a good job with our presses," Crist said. "We switched presses halfway through the first quarter, working better for us."
Quinter started out in a 1-2-1-1 press, but switched to a 2-2-1 press.
"The 2-2-1 probably is a better press with Zach and Scott in there, both big guys," Crist said.
Ness City (11-13) turned the ball over six more times in the second quarter. Quinter was leading 25-12 when the Bulldogs went on a 10-1 run to end the first half. Bird scored 12 points in the second quarter.
"That's the way it's been all year," Crist said of Bird's ability to score both inside and outside.
"Sag off him, shoot the 3. Get on him, drive by them.
"When he shoots the 3 well, I don't know how you guard him," Crist added.
Ness City's only spark came late in the third quarter, when junior guard John Clarke scored 10 points late in the period, including a pair of 3-pointers. But Quiinter still led 57-33 entering the fourth quarter.
Quinter's lead grew to 30 midway through the fourth quarter.
After that, it was a running clock on dead-ball situations for the rest of the game.
After Bird's 26, Nemechek added 13 points and 10 rebounds and senior point guard Brady Reed scored 12. Clarke led Ness City with 19 points.
Crist anticipates a tough matchup with Victoria in Saturday's sub-state title game.
"They're athletic, play hard, very quick, very aggressive," Crist said. "Good matchup.
"I think Victoria's guards are pretty good, handle the ball well," he added.
Crist said Victoria's dribble-drive offense, popularized by Memphis, will be a new look defensively for the Bulldogs.
"Guards match up well with us," Crist said. "We haven't seen that much dribble-drive."